1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to burial markers, and more particularly to a hybrid grave marker and cremains container which is partially interred in the ground, and which contains ash of the deceased person, other once living beings, or any other memorabilia regarding the deceased which may be visible through the walls and top of the cremains container.
Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a hybrid grave marker and cremains container, where the container constitutes an airtight and watertight receiving envelope in which ashes or other memorabilia are protected against the influence of environment.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to a hybrid grave marker and cremains container which is assembled from glass pieces adhered to each other by glue hardening under influence of ultraviolet radiation with the junctures between the glass pieces sealed for better hermeticity.
The present invention also relates to a hybrid grave marker and cremains container which can be used singly or in clusters so that to form a memorial group for family members or otherwise related deceased.
2. Prior Art
There has been a variety of decorative memorials, and urns which can be stored indoors or outdoors. Usually, the decorative urns of varying shapes are placed in the niches and usually have glass covers placed over the openings of the niches for viewing purposes. Urns containing cremated remains are also stored outdoors in closed faced niches formed in vertical standing walls and in horizontally situated interment arrays. Various framed or modular structures for supporting urns have been developed but proved unduly expensive and complex to manufacture and construct.
Alternatively to the relatively expensive practice of storing ashes of deceased persons in wall compartments, ashes are placed into receptacles adapted to contain ashes, such as human or animal ashes, and intended to be at least partially embedded in the earth. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,108 discloses such a receptacle for ashes of deceased which have a compartment provided with an aperture for receiving the ashes. The receptacle also has a closure for sealing the aperture, and a support capable of supporting the receptacle in a vertical position in the earth. The closure which consists of a plaque is firmly attached to the compartment at the aperture thereof, so as to seal off the aperture by welding or the use of lugs. The support is a pointed stake, rigidly attached to the base end of the receptacle. The stake allows the receptacle to be embedded into the ground and to be supported in a vertical position. This form of the receptacle is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and, in addition, the moving of the receptacle from one place to another is easy due to the fact that the compartment is mounted on the pointed stake. The ashes, however, cannot be viewed through the walls or the top of the receptacle, as sometimes desired by relatives and friends of the deceased person. Additionally, embedding the receptacle in the ground solely by a stake member does not provide a stable foundation needed for a permanent burial marker.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,162 describes a stained glass cremation urn which is formed of a plurality of pieces of stained glass of harmonizing colors selected to provide an appealing combination of colors. The pieces of stained glass with a copper foil in place thereon are laid on a flat surface with a small spacing between them whereupon hot or molten lead is flowed over the joint. The heated lead is attracted by the copper foil so that a substantially linear surface of lead beading following the contours of the copper foil is provided along the junctures of the glass pieces, thereby securely clamping pieces of glass in place and providing a moisture and dustproof joint. The formed lead increases in thickness between the adjacently positioned pieces of glass and securely holds the stained glass parts in assembled relation. The assembled urn can be placed in any suitable location such, for example, as in the niche of a crematory or at any location in the home, or elsewhere as desired. This urn, however, is not constructed nor intended for being partially interred in the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,921 describes a burial marker and display box for the preservation of memorabilia and/or ashes of an individual or individuals. An air-and-watertight container holds a second air-and-watertight container that is removable from the first one. The first container may be lockable so as to secure the contents therein. The second container is removable from the first container and includes a display window that allows visual inspection of the contents. The marker box is interred in the ground in a manner similar to a headstone, and allows visiting relatives and friends of the deceased to inspect the preserved memorabilia within the container. Ashes of an individual may also be carried by the container. Alternative embodiments allow several cylinder containers to be held in one single burial marker and display box. Although the overall assembly is intended as a hybrid burial marker and display box, it requires two independent and separate containers with each performing its individual function, i.e., the outer container serving as the burial marker, and the inner container serving as the ash receptacle. Therefore, the device fails to disclose a single structural element performing simultaneously the functions of a burial marker and cremains container. As can be seen, the burial marker and display box is somewhat expensive and complex, and needs a separate structural element for each functional requirement.
As can be readily appreciated from the relevant prior art discussed in previous paragraphs, despite many attempts, aesthetically pleasing, inexpensive ashes and/or memorabilia containers which simultaneously serve as grave markers and are partially buried in the ground through which ashes and memorabilia are visible for satisfying sentimental needs of friends and relatives of the deceased person is not seen in the prior art.